Quintin Vargas, associate professor and graduate advisor of doctoral studies for the Educational Leadership Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has been named dean of the DePaul University School of Education effective July 1.

Vargas succeeds acting dean Gayle Mindes, who has been at the helm of the School of Education since the retirement of Barbara Sizemore in June 1998.

"Dr. Vargas brings to DePaul valuable experience, impeccable credentials and scholarly interests that range from issues of diversity and educational accessibility to bilingual education," said Richard Meister, executive vice president for academic affairs. "He is eminently qualified to lead the School of Education into the 21^st century and will fit in very well at DePaul."

"Dr. Vargas’ outstanding leadership abilities and solid vision for the future will greatly benefit the School of Education," said acting dean Mindes. "I look forward to working with him to continue the standard of excellence that has come to define the School of Education at DePaul."

A graduate advisor of doctoral studies for UTSA’s Educational Leadership program since 1994, Vargas was instrumental in recruiting the program’s faculty, overseeing staffing and training initiatives and managing a $1.4 million federal grant.

Prior to that, he served as associate academic dean at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, from 1991 until 1994. Before joining the St. Edwards’ staff, Vargas spent 10 years at Texas A& M International University in a variety of teaching and administrative positions. He was named vice president of academic affairs there in 1988.

Vargas holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Texas. He also completed the post-doctoral training program at Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management. In his career as a professor, he has taught such courses as ethics and school administration, school and community relations and administration of urban/multicultural institutions.

He has penned numerous scholarly works on bilingual education, cognitive development and verbal fluency, teacher preparation and teacher training. He also has received several honors including the University of Michigan’s John S. Brubacher Award for his outstanding scholarship in the philosophy of higher education, and Yale University’s Dissertation Award for the Study of Higher Education.

Vargas said he is anxious to get to work helping to enhance the School of Education’s already stellar reputation. "I am happy that I have the opportunity to come to the School of Education now, when it is well situated to provide the kind of reflective, ethical and moral teacher training that is needed today," he said.

The School of Education at DePaul is dedicated to improving primary and secondary education in metropolitan Chicago and beyond by training professional urban educators. In 1998-99, there were 1,679 students enrolled in undergraduate, master’s and doctorate degree programs offered by the School of Education.